Beautiful girl dropped, I'm crying...

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Paravati
I GAVE, dammit!

Post   » Fri Sep 15, 2006 10:18 am


I'm so glad it worked out. Broken bones are scary situations for these little guys. They have amazing heart though and I love it when they rally and turn out fine.

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Fossil Barb

Post   » Fri Sep 15, 2006 10:27 am


Great job and glad she has a new partner in crime.

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Pooka and Pixie

Post   » Fri Sep 15, 2006 10:31 am


I'm so glad she is okay! Such a relief. :)

WICharlie

Post   » Thu Jul 07, 2011 9:55 pm


I went back and found this thread as this is technically Izabo's thread. My wonderful Izabo has been with me all these years and is still doing wonderfully. Her broken leg healed completely and has seemed to never give her any problems. She is no longer so frightened to be held and even chirupped and tweedled tonight while I gave her a haircut.

I've had Izabo for 5 years now. She was not a really young pig back when she came into the rescue. I figure that she had to be at least a few years old then. The person who surrendered her to the shelter wrote down that she was 4 years old at the time. So Izabo has to be somewhere between 7 and 9 years old.

She is still eating well and maintaining her weight. She is a bit less active than she used to be, although she can have her sudden popcorn on occasion. My concern is that she seems to have raw feet, both backs and fronts. I keep her on fleece and towels and have been using wood stove pellets in her hay bin. She is a pretty heavy drinker and pee-er and she tends to sit in her wet spots more now. I've decided to start changing out her bedding everyday and am going to go to Carefresh for her hay bin. Any other ideas on helping the poor old girl's tootsies? I'd do anything to help keep her happy and comfortable.

Talishan
You can quote me

Post   » Fri Jul 08, 2011 12:34 am


Silvadene (silver sulfadiazene) cream, a thin layer applied once or twice a day. Has worked wonders for us.

Have you ever had her heart checked/x-rayed? Heart compromise can definitely impair circulation. Doesn't mean she's a heart pig, but at her age (just like a human with nothing basically else wrong) she may be.

http://www.this-little-piggie-marketpla ... .html#skin

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Fri Jul 08, 2011 10:02 am


I think Preparation H might be a safe thing to provide some protection with too - or Desitin diaper ointment (either applied thinly).

I think it is wonderful she has been with you all these years.

WICharlie

Post   » Sat Sep 29, 2012 12:49 am


Well, here I am again, 6 years after the original post on my girl, Izabo.

Izabo is an old, old girl, but has been doing really well except for the constant problem of her sore feet and that she gets dirty a lot on her bum because she sits under her hidey a lot during the day and is a heavy pee-er. Tonight, while changing the fleece in her cage, I noticed that she had some poos stuck to her feet and I took her out to clean them off. I was rather shocked when she appeared to have a seizure in my hands. I cradled her gently and she came out of it so I put her back in her cage and she seemed all right.

I'm not sure how to proceed at this point for the little girl. I've been giving her butt bathes several times a week and I trim her fur once a month to keep her clean and comfortable. She's due for both a trim and a bath, but now I'm a little afraid to handle her. I know she's super old (probably 9) and an easy death at home would be the thing I would hope for, so I won't do any heroics. I'm just not sure what I should do about her grooming needs if handling her might stress her to the point of another seizure. I do think if I see another seizure, I might consider a gentle euthanasia for her, as I won't let her be in pain or suffer.

Izabo has outlived two younger cagemates and currently lives side-by-side with my other pig Prudy. These two will be my last pigs. I want to do right by my very special elderly Izabo.

Talishan
You can quote me

Post   » Sat Sep 29, 2012 2:11 am


I honestly don't think seizures cause them any pain. I wouldn't consider euthanasia if you see another one (or more than one another one) until or unless she can't eat, can't drink, and/or loses interest in everything around her.

Having said that, I don't have any real good ideas for helping keep her clean. I think if she were mine I'd try to clean her bum gently with a warm, damp, clean washrag (the white ones that are sold as "bar towels" work great for this) rather than dip her in water (if that's what you're doing now). Do it as infrequently as possible. I think trimming is less risky than bathing, and I've never had them to freak out if wiped gently with a clean, warm, damp rag. Yet, anyway.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Sat Sep 29, 2012 2:01 pm


Poor old girl. Are you smelling any odor that might indicate a urinary tract infection?

These days there are quick dry towels, some of which incorporate antibacterial materials. I wonder if something like that might help keep down any bacterial growth.

Talishan
You can quote me

Post   » Sun Sep 30, 2012 2:55 am


I think that's an excellent idea (both, actually).

In my experience (only), loose beddings (CareFresh, kiln-dried pine) work better for keeping pigs that don't move around much dry. They are also harder to walk through/walk on, though, so that doesn't help encourage an animal that already doesn't move much to do so. It's a toss-up.

WICharlie

Post   » Thu Nov 22, 2012 8:23 pm


Izabo has been doing okay since I posted last and I have clipped her and given her several butt baths without incidence.

I think I'm losing her tonight though. She's acting strangely. Instead of walking (away from my hand like usual) she keeps rubbing her head down on the fleece and NOT walking at all. It's almost like she's trying to lay down, but her back half won't respond accordingly. I just gave her hair a clip yesterday. I hope I didn't hurt her somehow.

As long as she doesn't appear to be in any pain, I'm not rushing her off to the vet. I know this seems strange as we always try to beat it into everyone's head to get a pig TO the vet if it seems to need medical care. She's a 9 year old pig though. She deserves to die at home where she is most comfortable if that is what is happening.

Why the heck does this have to happen on Thanksgiving though? My brother passed away on Thanksgiving in 2001. My mother passed away on Thanksgiving in 2006. What the heck is it about Thanksgiving?

She's a good, sweet girl my Izabo. Sigh.

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Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Thu Nov 22, 2012 8:43 pm


Hi, WICharlie. I'm sorry to hear that Izabo is behaving strangely. Really wish I had something useful to suggest, but just wanted to let you know I'm thinking of you both. You have had more than your fair share of tragedies on this day. Fingers crossed that Izabo improves.

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